Goodlettsville, TN Outdoor Activities

Because it has its own hatchery, Bob White Springs makes sure there's always fish out there to be caught. And Bob White Springs also offers fly-fishing lessons so that there are always fishers out there to do the catching. Participants can angle for the multiple species in Bob White Springs’s waters, such as cutthroat, Atlantic salmon, and steelhead. New fishers and experienced anglers alike can schedule at the springs to try to snag a catch.

Dazzling formations and a remarkable register of past residents renders the Lost River Cave a tour treasure for families, history buffs, and geological geeks alike. The cave's titular river rests below gnarls of stunning stalactites and stalagmites, the finest views of which emerge on the cave boat tour, the only underground cruise of its kind in the state. As the daylight suddenly vanishes and things begin to glow in the dark, one of Lost River’s friendly, funny guides will fill you in on the Lost River's prehistoric Native American roots, as well as its later habitation by Civil War soldiers and outlaws like Jesse James—painting a vivid picture of the cave's hospitable environs and its 8,000-year-old bellhop. Upon disembarking, you'll continue your sabbatical from sunshine with a further 20-minute guided walking tour of the cave. Visitors have been known to spot native pipistrelle bats, cave salamanders, eyeless crawfish, and skinny-dipping gnomes.

Since settling into his first saddle at the age of 8, Josh Guin has dedicated his life to understanding and training horses, and helping others do the same at his scenic 76-acre ranch in Nolensville. Years of studying equine management, nutrition, and advanced training methods helped Josh craft his T.R.U.E. horse training philosophy, which is an acronym for trust, respect, unity, and expectations. After gaining the trust and respect of the horse, Josh establishes a bond with the beast, always keeping high expectations for the horse so it can live up to its potential. During lessons, Josh shows students how to approach horses with a similar mindset.

Professional anger and guide Mike Davis picked up his first fishing pole in his hometown of Orlando, Florida, where the swampy surroundings provided ample opportunities for reeling in scaly specimens. After high school, Mike fulfilled his childhood dream of being a meteorologist before serving a combat tour in the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm, and once back in the States, he was selected as a member of the National Weather Service. While his head was in the clouds, his heart remained by the water, and he ultimately decided to make his passion for fishing his life's pursuit. Today, Mike resides in Nashville where he leads guided fishing tours on Old Hickory Lake, helping anglers of all ages and abilities catch bass, crappie, catfish, and the rare yet inedible rubber fish.

In the gulches of an abandoned phosphate mine, a labyrinthine path echoes with the roar of unseen chainsaws and the rustles of hidden ghouls. Monsters and zombies lurk in the darkness at Millers Thrillers Zombie Paintball Hayride and Haunted Woods, but it isn't mere craving for blood or brains that makes them so eager to terrify––the scary staff members actually receive a bonus for making visitors wet themselves. Really. “I did always like Halloween," says founder and owner David Miller.

Miller wasn’t always in the pants-wetting business, but you might say the business of Halloween in his blood. He grew up growing and selling pumpkins with his grandfather and––though he admits he was too scared to try them as a kid––his interest in haunted houses led him to intense study in the art of scaring, including seminars and conventions. His interest in creating eerie worlds inspired him to begin his walk through haunted woods and zombie-paintball hayride––during which visitors wield mounted paintball guns to fire upon advancing zombies and blank canvases hurled by poltergeists. But landing a few paintball hits won't be enough to ease the natural terror of the haunt's surroundings. “There’s a lot of spooky stuff around all this country farmland… with no streetlights in sight,” Miller says. “We…play on the fact that people are going to feel like they’re lost in the middle of nowhere.”

Despite the fright fest’s scariness, Miller’s real aim is to give visitors a good time. Staff members go easy on little kids and the elderly, and at the end of the walk, customers can calm chattering teeth around a fire pit and rejoin the world of the living by gathering around the concession stand or a stage that hosts a nightly illusionist and zombie drum line.

Six ponds and 52 sandtraps aim to thwart golfers as they traverse WillowBrook Golf Club's par 72 layout. Measuring 6,709 yards from the farthest tees, the course's Bermuda grass fairways and bent grass greens offer airborne balls open landing zones, eschewing the need to hire squirrels as air-traffic controllers along the rough.

WillowBrook Golf Club also fosters golf game improvement at its driving range, two putting greens, and short game practice facility. After a day spent fine-tuning their swing and filling their scorecard with only prime numbers, golfers can unwind at Boskey's Grille, which serves a menu of sandwiches, ribs, seafood, and pasta in a casual atmosphere with complimentary WiFi.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par-72 course
• Length of 6,709 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 71.8 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 123 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options